A significant change has been made to the branding of a prominent SmackDown superstar. Zelina Vega is now being listed simply as “Zelina” on the official WWE roster website. The change was first noted by several accounts on social media earlier this afternoon with screenshots of the update made on WWE’s roster page on their website.
Shortening established ring names has historically been used to streamline a superstar’s branding, as seen in the past with names like (Austin) Theory, (Angel) Garza, and (Matt) Riddle. In Zelina’s case, the change immediately follows a major shift in her on-screen persona.
On the October 10 episode of SmackDown, Zelina turned heel. The turn saw her directly interfere in a Last Man Standing match, assisting her real-life husband, Aleister Black, in securing a victory over Damian Priest. Dropping the “Vega” surname distances her from her past associations, particularly the LWO, and aligns her more closely with Black’s singular, dark persona.
Aleister Black himself only recently returned to WWE. After weeks of vignettes, he made his return on the April 25 episode of SmackDown, reverting to his NXT-era name and hitting The Miz with a Black Mass. He defeated The Miz in his in-ring return the following week and subsequently entered the feud with Damian Priest. Zelina’s assistance marked the first time the real-life couple had been aligned on-screen in WWE.
The name change caps off a noteworthy year for Zelina. She was transferred to the SmackDown brand on January 27, 2025, a move that saw her leave the LWO. This transition led to the biggest singles achievement of her career just a few months later.
On the April 25 episode of Smackdown, Zelina defeated Chelsea Green to win the newly established WWE Women’s United States Championship, marking her first-ever singles title in WWE. She successfully defended the title against Green in a rematch at Saturday Night’s Main Event XXXIX on May 24.
Her championship run lasted 63 days, ending on the June 27 episode of Smackdown where she lost the title to Giulia. Zelina attempted to regain the championship in a rematch on the August 1 episode of Smackdown but was unsuccessful. This new heel turn and name change now moves her out of the title picture and into a new storyline alongside Aleister Black.
Zelina Vega is now being listed as ‘Zelina’ on the official WWE roster site. pic.twitter.com/rwEqiD0A07
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) November 2, 2025
